Walker gets federal political appointment

Former state Sen. Vicki Walker, whose appointment to chair the Oregon parole board ran into budget problems, was named Friday to one of the top political positions that the Obama administration can hand out in Oregon.

Walker, 53, will head the U.S. Department of Agriculture's rural development office in Oregon. She will receive a salary of $133,170 a year and oversee a seven-office network around the state aimed at funneling grants and loans for economic development, housing and energy.

Walker, who entered the Legislature in 1999, had made no secret of her interest earlier this year in finding a full-time position in government. Gov. Ted Kulongoski in July appointed her chairwoman of the Board of Parole and Post-Prison Supervision, and he cited both her experience as a legislator who had dealt with public safety issues and as a court reporter in private life who had familiarity with the legal system.

The appointment created some controversy since Walker had not been one of three finalists for the job that had been interviewed by an advisory group. One of those finalists, Aaron Felton, was appointed to fill a fourth, long-vacant seat on the parole board.

In late September, the governor announced that because of budget issues, the parole board could not be expanded, at least before the Legislature next meets in February. Kulongoski said that Felton would become the board chairman and Walker had agreed to step back and become an employee of the board through the end of the year for a reduced salary.

Walker, who on Friday called herself "a perfect fit" for the Department of Agriculture job, said she agreed to step aside from the parole board position in part because she had learned that she was being seriously considered for the federal job. She said she hopes the Legislature still decides to fund a fourth position on the board because of its heavy workload.

Walker said that she had "expressed interest early on" in working for the Obama administration and had applied for the agriculture job in March. She said that she thought she was out of the running for a federal job when the parole board appointment came up, but that she subsequently learned she was under serious consideration.

Overall, the new federal budget contains some $3 billion for rural development programs channeled through the agency. In addition, the stimulus bill also includes $20 billion in loan guarantees for rural single-family housing loans. Walker said she was told that about $300 million of those loan guarantees were channeled through the Oregon office, which has a staff of about 70.

Walker said she believes she has a strong understanding of rural Oregon after growing up in Reedsport and living in a number of other small communities around the state. She said her new job will also require her to work closely with state agencies and local governments, much as she did as a legislator.

It's not unusual for presidential administrations to reach into legislative ranks to fill these state directorships. Walker's predecessor was former Oregon House Speaker Mark Simmons, R-Elgin.